Eat, Drink and Be Pregnant?

There’s no shortage of advice where fertility is concerned. Everyone’s got an opinion, a prescription or a sure-fire cure that will enable you to get pregnant. And Harvard is no different. The school’s medical researchers recently published The Fertility Diet, a book that claims the path to conception starts at your plate. The simple fact that it hails from Cambridge’s most prestigious school is enough to have women everywhere running for Barnes & Noble, but before you join the rush, take a moment to note the publication’s limitations.

The advice in the book is geared for only a select few. It’s meant to combat infertility caused by irregular ovulation, a problem that accounts for less than one third of all fertility problems and is the most easily targeted of them all. Moreover, some of the claims, such as eating a serving of full-fat ice cream every night, are less than scientifically supported. And no diet can induce conception. It can only help. That being said, The Fertility Diet does contain some wise suggestions that when coupled with medical input, full knowledge of one’s body, a healthy life and regular coupling can help you attain your goal:

• Attain a healthy weight – women with a BMI between 20 and 24 are the most likely to conceive. Being either over or underweight disrupts ovulation.
• Take a multivitamin with folic acid – studies have found that women who take vitamins regularly, particularly those who take folic acid supplements, are not only more likely to conceive but more likely to have twins.
• Get your iron – iron is an important part of maintaining a healthy, regularly functioning body. However, the best sources are not red meat. Look instead to fruits, vegetables, beans or supplements.
• Avoid trans fat – processed foods such as doughnuts, margarine and fast-food feasts may taste good at the time, but they’ll do nothing to help you conceive. Limit or, better yet, banish them.
• Exercise – the best match to a healthy diet is exercise. Women who regularly workout are more likely to have regular ovulation. However, exercise can go too far. Excessive amounts will lead you right back to infertility.